Everything I love about books and life, despite their occasional rough edges.

Completed Challenge: Non-Fiction Five 2009

I’ve completed my first challenge! Actually, I suppose I half completed it, as I haven’t written all of my reviews yet (still trying to re-learn how to balance work with life with blogging – that month off really spoiled me!). But the books are all read, so I’m going to consider it complete for now.

I didn’t have much trouble reading all of the books for the Non-Fiction Five 2009 challenge, especially since I had already personally committed to reading one non-fiction book a month this year. Some of the books I loved more than others (which you’ll see when I post all of the reviews), but I enjoyed all of them. There was a pretty wide variety – three memoirs (two on food, one on politics), a self-help, and a book about the science of sex (how do you classify that?). Here’s my list:

Lipstick Jihad: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America and American in Iran by Azadah Moaveni

A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg

Your Time-Starved Marriage by Les and Leslie Parrott

My favorite of the five was definitely A Homemade Life – but then, how could I not love something written by Molly Wizenberg? My least favorite was Your Time-Starved Marriage, but I still felt the read was worthwhile. Thanks to Trish at Trish’s Reading Nook for hosting this great challenge.

Good to know about Lipstick Jihad…I was thinking of reading that soon too. As for Les and Leslie Parrott’s books…we read “Love Talk” a few years ago and were sorely disappointed as well. I would highly recommend Gary Thomas and his book, “Sacred Marriage”. What did you think of the sex book? Any fun?

That is hilarious – we just finished doing the Sacred Marriage study with our small group! I wasn’t all that impressed, but maybe the book goes into more detail than the group study did. It felt very surface-y to me. Any other recommendations?

Yes, the sex book was a fun read. A little redundant and slow at times, but if you are willing to skim through those parts, it is worth picking up. Plus, you’ll end up with some highly bizarre cocktail party conversation starters! :)

I haven’t gone through the study guide for Sacred Marriage, but I have read the book, and would recommend it. I felt like it really put the concept of marriage into a healthy-spiritual perspective than other “christian” marriage books did.

As for a trip down to Disney World to see the new Harry Potter exhibit….it’s definitely on our list of “to-do’s”! We would love to see you and meet Ryan….probably won’t be able to afford a trip like that for another year or two though. :) Our good friends, Joel and Lani are Harry Potter fanatics and might even come with us too!

Congrats on finishing your first challenge! Feels good, doesn’t it? This is my first year participating in challenges and I love it — though I think I bit off a bit more than I can chew! I’ll be a little more realistic next year. I like the idea of a non-fiction challenge — I read a lot of non-fiction and think people should read them more! : )

Congrats! That is a good sense of accomplishment isn’t it? And I just “discovered” Mary Roach and I love her approach. I read “Spook” and have “Stiff” but need to get “Bonk.” I’ll have to look at the Wizenberg book.